What Should Hotels Offer to Business Travelers?

Business travelers always want ease and convenience whenever they visit other cities or countries in the course of carrying out their duties. This helps them stay 100% productive because they can focus solely on their work. 

Life as a business traveler can be tiring and draining. With tightly packed schedules, jet lag, and being away from family, being on the road can be challenging. As a corporate traveler or travel manager, finding the perfect accommodation for business travel can be all it takes to put you in the right frame of mind and ensure success.

Globally, annual business travel costs are expected to amount to $1.7 trillion by 2022. Hotels form a vital part of business travel. Therefore, they should tap into this massive revenue stream and look to provide ease to business travelers. This article discusses some of the things hotels should offer to business travelers. 

What hotels should offer to business travelers 

Below are some of the services hotels should offer to business travelers.

1. Proximity 

Proximity is a crucial factor when choosing accommodation for business travelers. They want a location that is close to their meeting venues. 

Hotels that wish to offer their services to business travelers should consider building their hotels at locations in the city that are close to business areas. Also, proximity can aid productivity. It reduces local travel time, providing more time to get work done.

There are travel management tools available to help corporate travelers pick the perfect hotels for their stay. These tools help businesses to manage all corporate travel hassles and create lasting positive experiences for their traveling employees. 

These tools can be used to compare and book flights, trains, hotels, or car rentals. A popular example is Egencia. However, it may not be the right fit for your company. Check out this list of top Egencia competitors to select the perfect one for your company. 

2. Adequate workspace 

Corporate travel is often embarked on for scoring new clients, pitching ideas to existing clients, and having key meetings that cannot be held over the phone. As a result, business travelers prefer hotels with easily accessible meeting rooms and spaces.

To ensure that productivity levels are high, corporate travelers require a dedicated area to work. Depending on the traveler’s preferences, it might be a single desk in the hotel room or an accommodation option with an available meeting or conference room.

From meeting rooms to events planning, if a business traveler needs to host a client, having a hotel with an adequate workspace could remove hassles. It will be perfect if such rooms are sound insulated or situated in a quiet corner of the hotel, away from the gym, reception, elevators, and other noisy areas with many activities.

3. Free and fast WiFi 

Although business travelers travel locally and internationally to meet with clients, prospects and investors physically, a large part of their work is still done online. Hence, the need for a fast internet connection. Internet access is essential for corporate travelers for both professional and personal reasons. 

It’s also a bonus if this fast wifi service is free. In a report by the Global Business Travel Association’s research and education branch, a majority of business travelers said they would book a room directly with a hotel if it meant they would get free Wi-Fi. 

4. Shuttle services

Business travelers may need to host or attend meetings during their travels. Sometimes, these meetings may be held in their hotels. Other times, they may be required to travel a short distance to meet up with their clients, prospects, or investors. 

Hotels housing business travelers must have a functioning shuttle service that can move them about. They must also be available on-demand to prevent travelers from arriving late to meetings. 

Business travelers will require airport pickup and drop-off services offered by the hotel. This ensures they do not have to wait for a taxi or go through the rigorous process of renting a car. Knowing you can book a hotel’s shuttle service and guarantee a safe ride gives peace of mind to business travelers and travel managers. 

5. Great food service 

Food is important for productivity. A hungry traveler is going to be less productive. Before business travelers start their day and after a long, tiring day, they must have easy access to meals. Hotels should be equipped with a decent restaurant or 24-hour room service. 

Business travelers will appreciate hotels that provide convenient and easy-to-access refreshment and meal options. It is also essential that these meal options are healthy. 

Hotels should also be flexible in their menu. Provide gluten-free and vegan meals for business travelers that require them.

Take special care of any food allergies. Hotel restaurants can also offer healthy snacks like self-serve toast, cereal, yogurt, and fruits.

6. Wall sockets and device charging stations 

Business travelers never leave home without their devices, including iPads, notepads, computers, smartphones, and tablets. However, many of them frequently forget their chargers in their haste to catch a flight. 

Such travelers can feel more at ease and experience less stress if their hotel room has a device charging station. Business travelers also count on having electrical wall plugs in their hotel rooms so they may plug in their chargers. As a result, having several electrical wall plugs makes it simple and convenient for travelers to charge their devices while going about their daily activities.

7. Fitness and relaxation amenities

The main purpose of a business trip is work. However, after a long day of getting new clients, retaining existing ones, and capturing new investors, business travelers may desire to unwind. 

Business meetings and travel stress can cause business travelers to feel overwhelmed due to their demanding work schedules. Some travelers may also just want to continue with their regular workout schedules. 

It makes all the difference to be able to have a brief workout and burn off the stress of the day at a 24hr or early-open/late-close gym. This will help corporate travelers stay fit and sharp while they’re presenting, learning, or networking on the road. 

It’s not enough to just have a 24-hour gym. Corporate travelers want that gym to be spacious, easy to locate, and well maintained.

8. Mobile Apps

For business travelers, mobile apps are one of the most recently requested hotel services. Hotels that have a mobile application that allows visitors to check-in at odd hours, look up restaurant hours, order food, and find nearby entertainment are very much in demand. A friendly staff is priceless, but also an efficient app that allows business travelers to bypass the front desk is also worth looking for.

Mobile apps also give hotels easier and more concentrated access to guest information and behavior traits across the booking journey and during their stay. The data collected helps them make informed decisions while trying to assist business travelers. 

Business travelers will also be able to set the app to their preferred language. Any contact between the guest and the hotel will be instantly translated back and forth to avoid misunderstandings, resulting in a more pleasant experience for all parties.

9. A beautiful design 

Hospitality businesses are highly dependent on the perception of their guests. There is a need for hotels to understand the relevance of beauty and aesthetic values in their marketing efforts. Aesthetically pleasing designs for usability, technology acceptance, and well-being in technology-enhanced spaces are likely to make business travelers visit again. 

Business travelers select hotels based on cognitive (e.g. price, quality food, and service), sensory (e.g. ambiance, room quality), and affective (e.g. comfort, security) attributes. Sensory stimuli when linked to perceived physical quality e.g. room furnishings (aesthetics in general), can significantly influence the traveler’s choice and patronage. 

10. Round-the-clock assistance 

Business travelers must have physical customer support whenever they need it. They often have meetings and calls until late at night. When they return, they may need their clothes ready for the next meeting, clean towels, shoes polished, room cleaned, or beds laid. 

This service should be available to them at any time of the day (or night). Hence, having 24/7 guest assistance is a must for hotels that want to attract and retain business travelers.

11. Loyalty programs

Hotels should also run loyalty programs for business travelers. This can help convert new customers to returning ones. It can also help boost the hotel’s brand value and improve its reputation on the market. Loyalty programs include discounted stays, free transportation, and free nights. 

Loyalty program membership is quite popular among corporate travelers. Most of them with loyalty memberships say loyalty programs are essential when deciding to book a hotel for a business trip. 

Conclusion

Accommodation is a vital part of business travel. While on the road for business, these corporate travelers need ease and comfort wherever it is that they lodge. Hotels should work to provide these to business travelers to help them stay productive during their business trips. This article highlights some important things hotels should offer to business travelers. 

Author Bio:

Lydia Iseh is a writer with years of experience in writing SEO content that provides value to the reader. As someone who believes in the power of SEO to transform businesses, she enjoys being part of the process that helps websites rank high on search engines.

Over to you

The hotel industry is always changing, especially during a time of crisis. Make sure to future-proof your business and continue attracting new guests by investing in these solutions.

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Related article: 5 Cost-effective Steps to Start a New Innovative Digital Transformation Shift for Hotels

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About Are Morch

Are Morch is a digital transformation coach helping hotels open their digital front door, reimagine their processes and culture, and transform experiences in a fast-paced world!

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